Can-opener.



PatentedkAug. 20,1901.

.1. L. RUNNER.

CAN OPENER.

(Application filed June 4, 1901.)

(No Model.)

rvrrnn dramas Parent triers.

JOHN L. CONNER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CARP-OPENER.

SREGIFIGATION forming part of Letters ?atent No, 680,910, dated August 20, 1901.

Application filed June 4, 1901. Serial No. 63,085. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. OONNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Can- Openers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices or implements designed especially for opening cans to permit the removal of contents, although capable of varied uses and of more or less general application.

My invention consists, essentially, of a flat blade fitted to or provided with a handle portion and having one or both of its edges beveled or formed as a cutting edge, the point of said blade being turned at or about right angles to the width of the blade, so as to lie in a plane at about right angles to the plane of the said cutting edge or edges, said point serving to penetrate the can in the first instance and said device being then turned so that the cutting edge of the blade is about at right angles with the surface to be cut and said point lying below in contact with the under surface to be cut and serving as a fulcrum about which the device moves during its cutting operation, the disposition of the parts being such that the cutting edges of the can are turned inward away from the hand of the operator, so as not to injure the latter.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the device in operative position. Fig. 2 is an edge view of said device. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 00 o: of Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention I employ a blade A of material, as steel, suitable to cut the sheet metal of which cans, pipes, or like receptacles or devices are usually made. This blade may be a fiat blade, by which I mean' it may have opposite sides essentially parallel to give the blade a substantially uniform thickness; but I prefer to form one side of the blade fiat and the opposite side tapering or rounded from the central portion toward each edge, as shown at a in Fig. 3, whereby during the cutting operation these inclined surfaces turn the cut edges of the can inward and away from the operators hand and prevent any abrasion or tendency to injure the hand, a feature common to many can-openers now on the market. Both edges of the blade I prefer to bevel or form with a cuttingsurface, as shown at b, which will adapt the device for either right or left hand persons and also prolong its term of use; but I may form but one of the said edges as the cutting-surface without any departure from the spirit of my invention. The point of the blade I turn upwardly from what I term the inner or tapered surface A, so that the point will stand at or about right angles with the width of the blade and also with its cutting edge or edges, the upturned portion 13 being of less wid th at the base than the width of the blade and having said base joining the cutting edge or edges by a curved line at c, which forms the initial portion of said cut ting edge and facilitates the cutting operation. The outer portion of the part B is tapered at d from the sides to a point which lies substantially in the longitudinal central plane of the blade A, said tapered portions 61 being beveled or otherwise formed as cutting edges to assist the portion B in its pene tration of the can or part to be out.

In the operation of the device the blade A is held about parallel with the can, and the point of the upturned portion 13 is pressed into the can or part to be cut, its shape and cutting edges making this initial operation simple and easy of accomplishment. The part B being pressed into the can to the depth of the base of the said part, the device is then turned until the blade A stands about at right angles with the surface to be out, and the portion B lies beneath said surface and essentially parallel with it. The handle portion is now rocked back and forth, the part B beneath the surface to be cut serving as a fulcrum about which the device turns, and the edges of the blade A cut through the surface and at the same time turn inward the raw or cut edges produced by the blade.

The device is simple and easily manipulated and is effective in operation. It is cheaply made and yet strong and durable. It will also be found useful as a tool for scraping pipes or joints, for gouging, scarfing, and for many other purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an article of manufacture a tool comprising a blade having a cutting edge said blade having its point turned substantially at right angles to the Width of said blade and the cutting edge thereof and adapted to penetrate the can or other article to be severed.

2. As an article of manufacture, a canopener including a blade provided with a cutting edge, and an extension of the point of the blade standing at about right angles to the width of the blade and having a pointed extremity lying substantially in the longitudinal central plane of the blade.

3. A can-opener or like device including a blade having cutting edges on opposite sides, said blade having its point turned substantially at right angles to the cutting edges and With its extremity lying interior to said edges.

4. A can-opener or like device includinga blade having a cutting edge and having a surface back of the edgeinclined, said blade having its point turned to lie in a plane substantially at right angles to said edge, and having its extremity lying interior to said edge.

5. A can-opener or like device comprising a blade essentially flat upon one side and having the opposite side diverging from the central portion toward the edges said edges being sharpened, and an extension of the point of the blade, lying substantially at right angles to said edges, having its sides tapering to a point and beveled or sharpened, and having its base portion joining the cutting edges of the blade by cutting edges which diverge from said base, and a handle portion for the device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN L. CONNER.

Witnesses:

T. W. FOWLER, CHAPMAN W. FOWLER. 

